It's that time of year again where the NFL hands out awards and the critics argue over who really deserved to win for the entire week afterwards. NFL Honors will surely provide us with an enjoyable recollection of the impressive performances throughout the 2012 season, along with a final end to the discussion of who will be named MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc.
Adrian Peterson and Peyton Manning are candidates for several of the awards on hand, including MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. Both players certainly have claims to each honor after enduring adversity and fighting their way back from injury.
Peterson nearly broke Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record, finishing with 2,097 yards and a 6.0 yard per carry average. If that wasn't impressive enough, AP just tore his ACL and MCL in late December of 2011. He also single-handedly carried the Vikings at times, so there's no reason why he couldn't collect multiple awards.
A running back hasn't won MVP since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.
Manning did not play in 2011 after undergoing multiple neck surgeries. After constant reports of depleted arm strength, he blew everyone away by leading the Broncos to a 13-3 record. His arm looks fine.
Rookie of the Year is also coming down to the wire in the minds of fans and analysts everywhere. Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and Andrew Luck are all vying for the first-year honor. RG3 and Luck look like the front-runners at this point. The case can be made that RG3 destroyed opposing defenses with his arm and legs. On the other hand, Luck led multiple comebacks and game-winning drives. Which do you take?
Defensive Player of the Year should go J.J. Watt's way, according to most sources. The Texans defensive end was a monster in 2012, recording 20.5 sacks and batting down 16 passes.
Here's a full rundown of the awards to be given out.
- AP Most Valuable Player
- AP Coach of the Year
- AP Offensive Player of the Year
- AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
- AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Pepsi Max Rookie of the Year
- NFL.com Fantasy Player of the Year
- Don Shula NFL HS Coach of the Year Award
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
- AP Comeback Player of the Year
- GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year
- FedEx Air and Ground Player of the Year
- Greatness on the Road
- Play of the Year
- Salute To Service Award
- AP Defensive Player of the Year
Alec Baldwin will serve as host for the awards show, which will take place in the Mahalia Jackson Theatre in New Orleans for a second straight year. The show will be televised on CBS and runs from 9-11 p.m. ET.